[Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis. Anatomo-pathologic aspects].

Abstract

We present a study of 21 biopsies from three patients with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis with periods of observation of up to 9 years. The biopsies were taken before, during, and after specific treatment. We observed that a lymphocytic infiltrate may be present in the lesions and that the intensity of the infiltrate is variable from lesion o lesion, even among lesions biopsied at the same time. Tuberculoid granulomatous reactions were not found in the patients following treatment. We conclude that the histologic features of importance in the classification of cutaneous leishmaniasis are: the tuberculoid granulomatous reaction and the intensity of parasitism.